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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The people of San Antonio lost a dedicated champion |
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of civil rights and an inspiring religious and community leader |
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with the death of the Reverend Claude William Black, Jr., on March |
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13, 2009, at the age of 92; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio on November 28, 1916, Claude |
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Black, Jr., was the oldest child of Cora and Claude Black, Sr.; he |
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graduated from Morehouse College and subsequently earned a master |
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of divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School; exposed |
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to political organizing through his father, who served as vice |
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president of the local Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, he |
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became active in the community in the early 1940s; he founded the |
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San Antonio Mother's Service Organization to encourage positive |
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youth development, and it became the first African American group |
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of Christian women to get a state charter for a local club; and |
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WHEREAS, Reverend Black continued his activism as the civil |
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rights movement got underway, leading and organizing marches around |
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the state; in March 1960, he urged city officials to integrate local |
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lunch counters, and San Antonio became the first major city in the |
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South to break this barrier without demonstrations; he was an |
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associate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, A. Philip |
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Randolph, and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and he was invited by |
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President Lyndon B. Johnson to attend the White House Conference on |
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Civil Rights in 1966; and |
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WHEREAS, Even as many of the movement's goals were realized, |
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this esteemed Texan remained a vital advocate for San Antonio's |
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African American population; he was elected to the city council in |
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the early 1970s and went on to become the city's first African |
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American mayor pro tem; a decade later, he founded a corporation to |
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help east side residents obtain suitable housing, and in 1995, he |
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was appointed a delegate to the White House Council on Aging by |
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President Bill Clinton; and |
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WHEREAS, Reverend Black further distinguished himself as the |
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pastor of San Antonio's historic Mount Zion First Baptist Church |
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and, under his guidance, the church became known for its numerous |
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public outreach efforts; his legacy includes the development of two |
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neighborhood day care centers, an apartment complex for seniors, |
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and the city's only financial institution owned by an African |
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American church; moreover, when the Mount Zion sanctuary was |
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destroyed by arson in 1974, Reverend Black led members through the |
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rebuilding process, and a new sanctuary was completed the next |
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year; by the time of his retirement in 1998, he had served the |
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church for nearly half a century; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Reverend Black enjoyed the |
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love and support of his beloved wife, ZerNona, with whom he shared |
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59 years before her death in 2005; the couple raised two children, |
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Stewart and Joyce, and welcomed six grandchildren and four |
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great-grandchildren into their family; and |
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WHEREAS, Reverend Black was recognized for his commitment to |
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civil rights with the 1991 MLK Distinguished Achievement Award from |
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the City of San Antonio, and the city also named an east side |
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community center in his honor; before his death, he was notified of |
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his selection for the prestigious Testament of Hope Award, given in |
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tribute to an outstanding community leader; his grandson, Taj |
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Matthews, and other family members, accepted the award on his |
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behalf at the second annual Realizing the Dream Award Celebration, |
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hosted by Martin Luther King III; and |
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WHEREAS, With his lifelong devotion to justice and equality, |
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Claude Black made a profound difference in the city of San Antonio |
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and beyond, and he leaves behind a record of achievement that will |
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continue to resonate for many years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the memory of the Reverend Claude William |
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Black, Jr., and extend sincere sympathy to his family: to his |
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grandchildren, Taj Matthews, Chantey Matthews, and Claude |
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Williams, and their families; to his sister, Mary Etta Black Deas; |
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and to his many admirers across the Lone Star State; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Reverend |
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Black. |